The cold shoulder that Pitso Mosimane was shown at Al Ahli after winning promotion back to the Saudi Pro League is proof of how the former Bafana Bafana coach was undermined.
Mosimane's option on his contract at Al Ahli was not exercised despite all the success he enjoyed at the club within eight months.
READ | Komphela - 'If you want people who are modest then go to the church'
This then forced Mosimane to move across the border to Emirati club Al Wahda while Al Ahli received a financial injection from the Public Investment Fund and have since added Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Edouard Mendy (Chelsea), Franck Kessie (Barcelona), Allan Saint-Maximin (Newcastle United), and Riyad Mahrez (Manchester City).
The head coach job at Al Ahli has been given to Matthias Jaissle (35) whose only top league coaching experience was his two-year spell at Red Bull Salzburg.
"When it is time for big money and the big stage, they will not employ an African coach," says former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Alain Amougou.
Though he didn't play in the Gulf Region, Amougou did spend time with Al Jazira in 2001 when George Weah was at the club.
"That is the mentality of the Arabs.
"The people at Al Ahli Saudi already knew that they would be investing more money into the team and felt that was beyond Pitso just because he is back and from Africa which is wrong.
"Is this coach that Al Ahli brought in better than Pitso?
"Obviously not but the fact that he is coming from Europe is what gave him the edge.
"He hasn't won more trophies than Pitso and is new in coaching.
"In their minds, Pitso wasn't going to be able to work with these players.
"They intentionally undermined Pitso because he is a black coach.
"Their thinking was that their plan was beyond having Pitso leading the project where there would be players from Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Newcastle United.
"They thought Pitso won't be able to coach all these players that they have signed just because they have been playing in Europe and Pitso is a black guy from Africa.
"These are the challenges that we must deal with as black people.
"The thinking of the Arabs is to convince those that they view as being powerful than them that they can also show them their power.
"What is happening in Saudi Arabia is not just about football but proving their power to the Europeans.
"This is a political stance about proving that they can use their financial power to shake the world the way they want.
"This is not even about winning trophies but pushing an agenda.
"Whenever the Arabs are investing a lot of money, they will not have an African or another poor Arab leading the project but will rather give Europeans the money because those are the people that they are out to challenge," says Amougou.
You must be Sign In to read and post comments.
Click HERE to register!